Cool discovery center. Great for ages 1-99. Lots of cool animals (I didn't take any pics tho,…read moresorry!). They have a rabbit, snakes, turtles, tortoises, fish, and even a tarantula (not my favorite). My daughter and I went for a birthday party and we had the place to ourselves. I was very surprised at how big the animal exhibit area was. Lots of things to learn about, watch, and discuss. The floor to ceiling windows overlooking the prairie land was wonderful. We were there in early December and winter birds were happily flying back and forth to the feeders and enjoying themselves. We will definitely be going back!!! It was a little hard to find because it's VERY deep into the property but not impossible to find. Just keep driving and you'll get there.

I went to Hickory Knolls Discovery Center for a wedding. It was a very pretty space with indoor and…read moreoutdoor options. They were originally supposed to have the wedding outside, but it was raining, so they weren't able to do that. Personally, I thought brining the wedding inside made it even better! They have displays and little exhibits talking about the wild life in the area. The space is open which left a ton of room for dancing and just interacting. The pictures outside were very pretty as there was a lot of greenery to work with.

Good place to explore with children in Aurora. It turns out to be a bigger place than it looks…read more Phillips Park Zoo is the highlight of this big public park and one of the best things about the city as well. Best thing is there's no admission price. This makes it even more worth it for looking around once, and you can come back as often as you want if planning to come more times. Even though it's kind of small, it feels there's a lot inside and you can be here awhile. It's got an interesting history. The beginnings of the zoo started when it was established in 1915, and a birdhouse was built the next year. Over the following few years the animal collection grew. There were birds, black bears, buffalo, deer, elk, foxes, monkeys, and wolves. In 1933 the birdhouse was destroyed in a hailstorm, and the following year the Brookfield Zoo opened. They chose to refocus on native animals after this. A few years after this, mastodon bones and tusks were found in the park. These were put on display in the zoo. In 1950 a barn was built. The following years included the addition of a water wheel. Farm animals such as goats, as well as birds like swans have their exhibits around these. The more recent additions include cougars, as well as improvements to exhibits for reptiles and wolves. Also the zoo has a few resources for education. The ZooCiety has various activities and programs. Have to say it's a good zoo for the city. It's located in the middle of the park. This is particularly a good one for young children, but it's open for everyone, so it's also okay for adults or whoever.

If you're visiting Aurora when it's nicer weather, this is worth checking out. It's been a min…read moresince I was last here but I wanted to share some pictures and add another positive review. Admission is free. Parking is free and has more than adequate space available. The zoo is closed on Wednesdays. During the summer months, the hours are extended until 5 pm. Fall-Spring, the zoo is closed at 4 pm. Besides the zoo, they have a visitor center, sunken garden, veterans waterfall, etc. Inside the visitor center, they have mastodon bones along with information to read. They also have bathrooms that are clean and well kept.

Friendly people/staff Although the llamas spit a lot :) its a good time for toddlers!!read more

Such a fun little find!! This is a zoo, a park, a little history lesson and an overall great place…read moreto visit!! Best part, FREE!! Now, this is not a huge zoo, but man do they pack a lot of love into a little spot. Food selection of animals, very friendly staff and cute well maintained facilities! Then, there are multiple large parks on site!! Perfect picnic spot for place for large family gatherings!

I've been here multiple times with my family. It's a nice small zoo, but the first time I've been…read morehere with the new setup this year. If you're in the area and you need a place to bring your little ones highly recommend. We can at bad time while it was lunch time and the workers needed a break but always a good walk as a parent and a lot to see.

This is a cute little zoo that's best for kids under 5. It's very small and takes less than an hour…read moreto go through if your kids are older. I'm docking a few stars because they let way too many people into the petting zoo area at one time, especially when they only have a few goats to pet. I also docked a star because the walk over to the playground and picnic table area is unnecessarily long because they have the shortcut path blocked off.

I loved this farm /regional zoo. There were sheep's cow goat rabbits chicken llama donkey owls…read more....coyotes and lots of different birds. The employees all seem to enjoy working here and the animals are well taken care of. It was a beautiful day in Illinois and we were allowed to pet the animals at the facility. I even saw some ponies! This is not a typical zoo as there are no large predators but it's cute and well designed that you can spend a good hour or so strolling around. Good for family with small kids!

A very clean smaller zoo. Kids are free and adults cost $12 each. If you are in the area it might…read morebe worth checking out! This is a good zoo to checkout with small children. There's coyotes, deer, cows, horse, llama, goats, chickens, and ducks. It's a little unclear if you can pet anything as the signs say "we bite." Does that mean pet at your own risk? I just assumed don't do it at all. It also wasn't clear if you could feed any of the animals outside a 30 min window that was listed on a flyer hung up.

I took an injured bird I found in my yard there. They heal many types of animals. It is a great…read morecommunity resource.

Awful renovation No wildlife to see here anymore. What use to be a great place to visit with…read morekids is no more. Woods eliminated lake looks like a small pond now. No Crains outside. Nothing indide the large new building now except a class room Fake displays with recordings. Viewing windows for possible animal treatment if you get lucky to see something going on. Tree elimination seems to be the name of the game with DuPage County Forest preserve. I would say this was a huge waste of tax funds and negative progress

We came here for the Autumn Fair (September 20, 2025). It was a free event with a lot of fun…read moreactivities: hay rides, kids games, pumpkin painting, demonstrations. They also had other activities for a small cost: pony rides, petting zoo, bounce house. We also purchased food and participated in the gift basket raffle. We were there for at least 3 hours. The park is great for kids older than 4. There's also a water area that is fun for both older and younger kids. The butterfly house was also a hit. Many butterflies landed on us while we were in there. Overall a great place to visit, definitely stop by as well when an event is going on for extra activities.

Star gazing at Peck Farm Park was so interesting. Saw Jupiter and four of its moons. The moon was…read morealso spectacular! The astronomy club has outreached on Saturday of every month, weather permitting. Great experience.

It's always so much fun going to the zoo. This is one of the more bigger shoes here in Chicago. And…read moreI think it's the first time I've been here again in like 8 years. I was so happy that I was able to experience feeding the giraffes and that they actually feed them a whole Leaf of lettuce it's a bit of a on the pricey side $15 you get about half of a bunch of lettuce but to be able to feed them the whole Leaf it was amazing because other places you would only get like strips of carrots. We were there a bit early and so most if not some of the animals were all out and that was so nice to see so I did enjoy it a lot. The only downside was the food the food trucks were closed and so the only choice we had was the outdoor one in the cafeteria until we did choose the outdoor one and the line wasn't even that long but the two boys that were there I guess they were new and it was a part-time thing it was so disorganized that we waited almost an hour for our food. The food was okay for Zoo food but I would eat it again it's just the long wait. But this suit was amazing I highly recommend feeding the giraffes I wish they also offered more animal encounters like feeding the goats and whatnot but I would definitely be coming back. Happy exploring!

We took our son here for his first trip to the zoo during the week and boy was it crowded. It was…read moresuper hot and all of the indoor exhibits were super muggy I'm sure to remain temperament for the animals but it left for little places to go to break up the insane heat. The bathrooms were cleaner than most so we were super grateful for that! We loved that there were so many animals actually in their exhibits unlike other zoos we've been to. The animals were actually rolling around and running around playing so my son loved seeing them. The food is super expensive, and any souvenirs were even crazier. We wanted ice cream but various places had their machines not working, for the amount of kids and the heat it was a let down but we appreciated the zoo for being so clean and shady. Parking is $17 in the north lot and $20 in the south. There were tons of busses but still ample parking. Overall a great visit. Be sure to check your local libraries for museum and zoo passes!

What a fabulous zoo! I love free zoos, growing up near DC our zoo was free so I always thought this…read morewas normal. My best friend and I came here for a fun afternoon activity. It was late in the afternoon and close to their closing, but we still made the most of it. There is so much to explore and a huge space. At first it felt like a lot of the animals were napping and hiding, but with time we were able to see more. You can tell they really take care of their animals here. One of the highlights was visiting the two week old zebra. I also loved the shaved alpaca. There were enough maps throughout the space to never feel lost. They had food and beverage for purchase and cute activities like caricatures. Even when the zoo closed they still had beautiful walking trails nearby which made it even more special. I highly recommend checking this zoo out.

Lincoln Park Zoo is a fantastic destination and one of Chicago's true gems. The fact that admission…read moreis free makes it an incredible place for families, visitors, and locals looking for a fun and memorable outing. The zoo features a wonderful variety of animal exhibits, all set within a beautiful, natural landscape that's enjoyable to explore at a relaxed pace. The grounds are well maintained and make for a pleasant visit regardless of the season. I will admit that on several of my visits, some of the animals were not visible in either their indoor or outdoor habitats. While that's not unusual at any zoo, I've noticed it happens fairly often here. I'll chalk that up to my own timing, as animal care and welfare always come first. There are several convenient places throughout the zoo to grab a snack, enjoy a meal, or pick up a drink. Every staff member I've encountered has been friendly, welcoming, and professional, which adds to the overall experience. Whether you're visiting for the first time or returning for another trip, Lincoln Park Zoo offers an enjoyable experience for all ages. I highly recommend spending a few hours here and taking advantage of one of the best free attractions in Chicago.

Reasonably priced and correctly diagnosed and treated my dogs ailment. They also gave me an…read moreestimate before performing anything.

We LOVE Kindred Pet Care! I found this gem while looking for an urgent appoinmtnt when my beloved…read moreKate-cat was under the weather. They had just opened the week prior so they got me in the very same day! The staff is all so welcoming, the atmosphere is amazing, and the care the provide is unmatched by any other care we have experienced in the area. The Fear-free certification is a wonderful thing: They have a room dedicated for our feline family, complete with a cat tree, calming mist, and treats. This is the first time I have taken a cat to the vet where they actually didn't just want to hide behind me the entire time! Kate jumped on that cat tree like she owned it! (Cats tend to claim ownership to a lot of things.) Dr. Boland is wonderful. Her bedside manner is phenomenal, and she was very thorough with the exam and eager to answer any questions we may have had. We loved Kindred so much, we transitioned our other kitties from our previous vet clinic and they are now Kindred cats too. This speaks volumes for Dr. Boland and her team, because we were happy with our previous vet care, but we love everything about Kindred. If you have a furry family member of your own, please give this place a chance, I promise you OR your pets wont be disappointed!